Violence and intimidation on the campaign trail

Sir Peter Gluckman has described New Zealand as a "potentially more fractured society" and it's becoming clear access to politicians is now compromised as reports of violence and intimidation grow

Mōrena, and welcome to The Bulletin for Tuesday, October 3 by Anna Rawhiti-Connell. Presented in partnership with Z Energy.

In today’s edition: Luxon says referendum on the Treaty is “divisive” and he would not support it; human waste still leaking into Waitematā; election campaign enters its chicken era as debate squabbles continue; but first, this year’s election campaign is being described as difficult and dangerous as reports of MPs being assaulted and abused escalate

Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, had made three separate reports to police after her home was broken into (Photo: supplied)

Social cohesion a focus for Dunedin study

As many of you will have seen, Richie Poulten died over the weekend. Poulton became the deputy director of the Dunedin Study in 1995 before replacing its founder, Phil Silva in 2000. If you missed it, Poulton spoke with John Campbell before he died in an interview that aired on Sunday night. The longitudinal health and development study began in 1972 and is regarded as one of the most seminal studies of its kind. In a paper published to mark 50 years of the study last year, it listed some of its new areas of focus, which include testing the hypothesis that people’s experiences in childhood are likely to also influence socially cohesive behaviour. “In lay terms social cohesion refers to members of a society feeling and acting in solidarity, or “sticking together” to achieve mutually beneficial goals, and is essential for the effective functioning and wellbeing of society,” it says.

Access to politicians on the trail compromised

One of Poulton’s close friends and collaborators, former New Zealand chief science, Sir Peter Gluckman, penned an opinion in June this year, following the release of a discussion paper about social cohesion. “Aotearoa New Zealand in an election year finds itself a potentially more fractured society,” he wrote. “Our national resilience has been tested by Covid and responses to it,” before citing other stressors and changes. Our pandemic era is arguably a big backstory to this election, yet many don’t want to talk about it. I think we’re a way off establishing a grand narrative about this year’s election campaign, but what is starting to become clear is that the access to politicians on the trail is now compromised as assault, home invasion, threatening behaviour and intimidation become more prevalent.

Campaign is more difficult and dangerous

In an illuminating piece for The Spinoff this morning, Stewart Sowman-Lund catalogues the growing number of incidents of MPs being intimidated and verbally and physically abused and asks former and current MPs whether this year’s campaign is more difficult and dangerous than previous elections. According to National party candidate Siva Kilari this morning, party volunteers have stopped campaigning in Auckland's Manurewa because they have been chased down the street and threatened with abuse. Yesterday, National’s campaign chair Chris Bishop released details of threats and intimidation levelled at its candidates, claiming one of its candidates had had their home broken into while alleging another was forced to move house after a gang threat. 

‘It’s because I’m young, I’m female, and I’m Māori’

Bishop’s comments came after news broke over the weekend that Te Pāti Māori Hauraki Waikato’s candidate, Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, had made three separate reports to police after her home was broken into and her rubbish rifled through. Speaking on Sunday morning to Marae, Maipi-Clarke said, “It’s because I’m young, I’m female, and I’m Māori, that’s what the threat said on the paper.” Maipi-Clarke says she feels “gas-lit” by other politician’s reactions to the news. Party leaders have been quick to condemn escalating violence and intimidation during the campaign but also quick to make accusations of politicisation. The issue of addressing why these things are happening in a society described by Gluckman as potentially more fractured is, in and of itself, causing division.

Luxon describes referendum on Treaty principles as ‘divisive’ and says he would not support it.

As recently as last week, Act leader David Seymour reaffirmed his party’s position on a referendum on co-governance, proposing “that the next government pass legislation defining the Principles of the Treaty, in particularly their effect on democratic institutions. Then ask the people to vote on it becoming law.” Christopher Luxon appeared on The Hui yesterday afternoon and got pretty close to ruling the proposition out. Host Julian Wilcox challenged Luxon to rule out a referendum under his prime ministership. Luxon replied, “Yeah, it’s not our policy,” describing a referendum on the Treaty as “divisive” and saying he would not support it. “I think it is divisive and not helpful,” he said. Luxon further clarified his comment at the TVNZ leaders’ debate where he said National invented “by Māori, for Māori”, saying it was a “misspeak”, and he meant to say they were advocates for it. He also reiterated his opposition to Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority. National have pledged to scrap it.

Human waste continues to flow into the Waitematā at rate of hundreds of litres per second

As interest.co.nz’s Dan Brunskill reports Labour claimed to have found another “hole” in National’s fiscal plan yesterday, but it appears to be based on a misrepresentation of the party’s Three Waters alternative. Good to have a semblance of discussion about water back on the table, as human waste continues to flow into the Waitematā harbour at a rate of hundreds of litres of sewage per second. Auckland beaches remain unswimmable for humans and pets, while fishing is also off limits. Today, Watercare will begin laying a temporary pipeline to reduce the wastewater overflow caused by a blocked pipe after a 13-metre-deep sinkhole opened in Parnell a week ago. Dr Mike Joy told RNZ yesterday that the problem was not new. “This is in the news because it's a big one, but wastewater has been leaking from the broken infrastructure in Auckland as it is in many cities in New Zealand for a long time and much smaller levels,” he said. Marine scientist Andrew Jeffs said that sea life within the footprint of the pipes emptying into the sea “will be extinguished”.

Dogs at polling booths is back for 2023

In 2020, we showcased big dogs, small dogs, long dogs, short dogs, hairy dogs, happy dogs, nervy dogs, silly dogs, stylish dogs, sleeping dogs – and we’d be barking mad not to do it all over again.

On election day, The Spinoff will again bring you nothing but live pupdates until 7pm. On October 14, send your photos of dogs at voting places around the motu (no humans please) to info@thespinoff.co.nz.

We’re focusing on on-the-day dogs, but will consider any particularly fetching advance-voting dogs, especially if they’re voting from abroad.

Click and Collect

• Dunedin climate activist sentenced to 125 hours of community work for forging email

• Police have conducted one million more roadside breath alcohol tests than last year

• Two designers from New Zealand built Letterboxd, a popular social network for film fans. They’ve sold a majority stake to a Canadian company but are promising users they’re sticking around.

• Netflix’s DVD-by-mail service posted its last disc on Friday with a reward for those who stayed to the bitter end

Click and Elect

• The Press leaders’ debate is off with Labour and National squabbling about who is to blame. As of last night, Winston Peters had offered to debate Chris Hipkins, Labour had released an ad featuring Christopher Luxon in a chicken suit, Luxon posted a picture of him eating KFC and we got a scientist involved.

• No “I voted stickers” this year. Have a gif instead.

  

• NZ First initially said they’d release costings and a manifesto on Sunday after Winston Peters’ interview with Jack Tame on Sunday. Peters now says he wants to instead wait for this week's OCR decision from the Reserve Bank. Most economists expect the bank to hold the rate where it is.

• Zahra Shahtahmasebi grills Ayesha Verrall and Shane Reti about which party is best placed to build tomorrow's health system

• Everything you need to know about how to vote

• Christopher Luxon and James Shaw cast their votes as advance voting starts

• “If I voted Labour, I would have been out there starving on the side of the street” and “Why are you calling me? I've been a socialist for 76 years” — a sample of political views from the Claire House retirement home in Auckland.

Right now on The Spinoff

Shanti Mathias reports from the “deep red” electorate of Dunedin in the latest instalment in our Hot Seats series. Toby Manhire argues New Zealanders are entitled to understand just what the alternative governing groups have planned for Jack Tame. Sam Brooks explains why the Court Theatre drama matters. New Zealand musicians nominated for the Silver Scrolls talk about each other's music.

Sporting snippets

• NZ Rugby is investigating after an image of white powder on the broken Ranfurly Shield was shared on social media. One player has now been charged by police after allegedly drink driving and one of the people involved in restoring the log o’ wood over the years has had a gutsful while also suggesting the white powder could be plaster. This is all the sports news in New Zealand right now.

• Actually no, I found some cricket news! The Black Caps claimed a seven-run victory over South Africa in World Cup warm up match.

Got some feedback about The Bulletin, or anything in the news? Get in touch with me at thebulletin@thespinoff.co.nz.

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